Yucatán Judicial Candidate Accused of Human Trafficking Ties

Mérida, Yucatán — Hernán Vega Burgos, a candidate for magistrate in Yucatán’s Superior Court of Justice, has been accused by the civil association Defensorxs A.C. of previously protecting a human trafficking network during his tenure as a federal immigration official. The allegations, which include claims of sexual coercion and threats against victims, have raised concerns about his potential appointment to the judiciary.

Accusations and Legal Background

Miguel Alfonso Meza, president of Defensorxs A.C., stated in an interview with journalist Luis Chaparro on June 3 that Vega Burgos was detained in 2009 while serving as Yucatán’s delegate for the National Migration Institute (INM) for allegedly shielding a human trafficking operation.

“Two victims reported that he demanded sexual favors and threatened them with deportation if they refused,” Meza said. “Although the charges were later dropped due to a non-prosecution order, the allegations remain a serious mark on his record.”

The case, initially filed under investigation file 583/19a./09 with the then-Attorney General’s Office, involved two foreign women—Raquel Ivannia C. A. and Yoheny C. F.—who alleged they were forced into prostitution in Mérida’s México Oriente neighborhood.

Calls for Disqualification

On May 29, the women’s rights organization Agenda de las Mujeres para la Igualdad Sustantiva en Yucatán (Amisy) formally requested electoral and legislative authorities to declare Vega Burgos ineligible for judicial office, citing his “lack of public repute” due to the prior criminal proceedings.

Vega Burgos denied the allegations in a rebuttal, calling them “a false narrative despite two definitive rulings issued over a decade ago.”

Broader Concerns Over Judicial Elections

Meza criticized the broader implications of Vega Burgos’s candidacy, linking it to what he described as political interference in Mexico’s first judicial elections.

“This sends a troubling message: to secure a judicial position, candidates must seek the approval of the presidency,” he said, alleging that the ruling Morena party manipulated the process to favor aligned candidates.

Vega Burgos’s Professional Background

Vega Burgos holds a law degree from the Autonomous University of Yucatán (Uady) and was appointed Yucatán’s subsecretary of Prevention and Social Reintegration in 2024 by Governor Joaquín Díaz Mena. His prior role at INM ended in 2009 amid the trafficking allegations.

Defensorxs A.C. plans to publish a detailed profile on Vega Burgos as part of a broader effort to document “high-risk candidates” in Mexico’s judiciary.